Hey guys. I was doing a heel hook on a 5.10 the other day, and I felt my heel sliding out the back of my shoe as I was doing the move. Its as if the sweat was lubricating the inside of my shoe, and my heel almost slid out. Is this normal, or is my shoe simply too big? Thanks!

While your shoes may not necessarily be too large, the heel cup clearly doesn't fit well. Some brands/models have differently molded heels that accommodate a varying range of heel shapes -- a shoe may fit your foot lengthwise, but have a loose/baggy fit on the heel which can lead to slippage, especially when sweaty. If the shoe works fine in all other circumstances, don't blow cash on a new pair yet. For starters, you can try altering your technique when hooking such that you roll up onto your heels, rather than tugging down with them. Regardless, pay special attention to the tightness of the heel cup when getting your next pair of shoes. Again, some brands and models will fit better than others, and you should be sure to anticipate stretch, wear, and the effect of sweat. Go to a gym with a good retail selection and try out a bunch of different shoes. A good salesperson will be able to evaluate the fit for you, but more importantly, you should be able to try the shoes out on a problem or route. Be sure to specifically check how they fit when weighting the heel.

What brand were the old ones? I've noticed that Evlov and 5.10 feel sloppy on my heel, but Sportiva and Scapa fit snugly. Others have a different experience, depending on their feet. Gotta find the brand and model that fit you.

I really like the Scarpas actually. Despite the heel issue, they feel rather nice and fit well. The only reason I'm having this heel issue is because my left foot is slightly bigger than my right foot. My right foot feels fine.